On April 11, 2013, the Dodgers lost their spirit, they lost their heart, they lost their will to win. They also lost their right-handed version of Clayton Kershaw.

That was the night that deranged Padres left fielder Carlos Quentin charged the mound and broke Zack Greinke’s collarbone during a benches-clearing brawl. And though Quentin received an 8-game suspension for instigating the brawl (an extremely severe penalty by MLB standards), the Dodgers received a much stiffer penalty – they lost their co-ace for what was expected to be a minimum of 8 weeks.

Since that fateful day, the Dodgers went into a 10-19 spiral that landed them in last place in the NL West.

Within days of Greinke’s injury and a subsequent surgery in which a metal rod was inserted into his collarbone to expedite the healing, Greinke began his rehab and was throwing and working out. Zack was convinced that he would return to the Dodger rotation well before that 8-week estimate.

Zack Greinke was right.

To the amazement of everyone, Greinke returned to the mound on Wednesday evening to face the powerful Washington Nationals a short 34 days after suffering his broken collarbone.

When Greinke took the mound, there was an electricity in Dodger Stadium that has been missing for a while – since April 11th to be exact. The players felt it, the fans felt it and even the opposing team felt it. The anticipation was so thick that you could cut it with a knife, but once Zack began pitching, it became very apparent very quickly that Zack was back.

From Greinke’s very first pitch of the night it was obvious that his “stuff was pretty good.”
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Greinke immediately began hitting his spots and putting the ball exactly where he wanted. It was almost Maddux-like. He was in complete control of 82 of the 83 pitches he threw. The lone exception was a hanging change-up to Nationals slugger Adam LaRoche which LaRoche promptly deposited into the Right Field Pavilion. LaRoche would be the only Washington National player to cross home plate on the night in an exciting 3-1 Dodger win to take two of three from the Nats.

Greinke pitched 5.1 innings allowing only the one run on 5 hits while striking out 4 and walking none. Of the 83 pitches he threw, 50 were strikes. In spite of missing 6 starts, Greinke improved his record to 2-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.62. And while Greinke claims that he is not in mid-season form, there isn’t a pitcher in all of baseball who wouldn’t love to have Greinke’s numbers.

“It was a good game all the way around,” Greinke told reporters in the Dodger clubhouse after the game. “We played well.”

Greinke said that his collarbone felt good but it’s not 100%. He added that it doesn’t restrict his pitching at all and the only time it bothered him on Wednesday night was on an awkward swing and miss during his first at bat in the second inning – an at bat that ended with Greinke slapping a single to right field to knock in the eventual winning run.

“There was only one uncomfortable swing. It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t feel good, but I didn’t want to do that again,” said Greinke. “I was hoping to get a strike so I could swing at strikes. When I was jumping out my arm got out if control (causing the discomfort).”

I can see how this swing might cause some discomfort for a guy who broke his collarbone only 34 days earlier. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Greinke was pleased with his command and control in his 5.1 innings of work.

“I thought my stuff was pretty good, it’s just my stamina (that) needs to build a little bit and that could be (by my) next start,” said Greinke. “I felt pretty good facing (Ryan) Zimmerman in the sixth (inning). I don’t know why but the sixth inning felt better than the fourth and fifth.”

When asked if he would be on a pitch count in his next start, Greinke’s usually reserved sense of humor came out.

“I don’t know, I’m guessing around just normal… until I start to look bad… or normal, so either one of the two.”